The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope having an ultrasonic probe and an optical observation objective optical system which are provided side by side at a forward end of an insertion portion.
In an ultrasonic endoscope, a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal input into/output from an ultrasonic probe needs to be disposed in an insertion portion so as to be inserted into the insertion portion. Generally, a signal cable having a large number of signal wires bound up into one is used as the signal transmission member.
The signal cable, however, gave limitation to arrangement of other inclusions because the signal cable occupied a large lumped section in the insertion portion. Particularly in a portion (curved portion) adjacent to a forward end of the insertion portion small in the degree of freedom of arrangement, the signal cable was apt to interfere with the other inclusions. Therefore, the diameter of the adjacent portion must be enlarged, so that characteristic for insertion into a body cavity was worsened. Hence, such an ultrasonic endoscope gave intensive pain to a patient into whom the ultrasonic endoscope was inserted, compared with a general endoscope.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic endoscope in which an inner space near a forward end of an insertion portion is used so effectively that a signal transmission member can be disposed so as to be inserted into the inner space and that improvement of insertion characteristic can be attained by reduction in the outer diameter of the insertion portion.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic endoscope comprising a flexible tube portion forming an insertion portion, a curved portion connected to a forward end of the flexible tube portion so as to be bent by remote control, an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal, and an objective optical system for making optical observation, the probe and the objective optical system being disposed in a further forward position than the curved portion, wherein a plurality of flexible substrates are connected to the ultrasonic probe as a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal which is inputted into/outputted from the ultrasonic probe, the plurality of flexible substrates being drawn into the curved portion and connected to a signal cable at lengthwise different positions respectively in the inside of the flexible tube portion.
Incidentally, the plurality of flexible substrates may be arranged in the inside of the curved portion so as to be shaped like a circular arc surrounding other inclusions.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic endoscope comprising a flexible tube portion forming an insertion portion, a curved portion connected to a forward end of the flexible tube portion so as to be bent by remote control, an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal, and an objective optical system for making optical observation, the probe and the objective optical system being disposed in a further forward position than the curved portion, wherein a signal cable including signal wires and disposed so as to be inserted into the flexible tube portion is connected to the ultrasonic probe by a plurality of flexible substrates disposed side by side so as to pass through the inside of the curved portion, and a plurality of signal wires connected to one and the same flexible substrate, among the signal wires drawn out from the signal cable, are bound up into one as a bundle in the connection portion between the flexible substrates and the signal cable.
Incidentally, each of the bundles of the signal wires may be made by being coated with a flexible tube, and the bundles of signal wires may be formed by displacement from one another in an axial direction.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese patent application Nos. 2000-136734 and 2000-136735 (both filed on May 10, 2000), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.